ENMU approves legislative appropriation fund application

At a special meeting for the Eastern New Mexico University Board of Regents on Tuesday in the Administration Building, regents approved once again applying for $5.5 million in annual legislative appropriation funds:

President Steven Gamble said the funds go toward the athletics department, the KENW television station, the Blackwater Draw museum and site, allied health programs (hearing and speech disabilities, etc.) and getting the new master's program in the nursing department off the ground.

Gamble said the university received $6.5 million in appropriation funds until 2010, when budgets were cut due to the economic downturn.

Gamble said for most of the programs, the university has received the funds for the last several years but appropriation funds for KENW and Blackwater Draw have been coming in longer.

He said two-thirds of athletic budget and 70 percent of KENW budget come from the funds. He said all the departments would function at a highly reduced rate without the funds.

"This money is very, very important to the well-being of the institution," Gamble said.